The annual LGBT+ fundraiser Winter Party Festival, in Miami, Florida, took place from March 4 to 10, packed with more than 10,000 queer attendees. We were actually surprised that they went ahead with the events throughout Monday night that weekend.
Shortly after the event, organisers took to Instagram to confirm that an attendee was diagnosed with coronavirus.
Multiple people who had been at the party later took to social media confirming that they, or someone they knew who had also attended, had been diagnosed.
Now, Israel Carreras, 40, who had no prior health conditions, has passed away after contracting coronavirus at the party.
Carreras’ partner, Franco Conquista, told WSVN: “He started to feel sick after the event. “I went to his place, taking care of him for two days, and I also had it. He couldn’t breathe, so he wanted to go to the hospital, and then, he was at the hospital for four or five days. Then, they put him to sleep because he was really agitated, and then, he never woke up again.”
Conquista added that he was currently at home in isolation, grieving his partner, and called for others to stay at home.
He continued to say: “They need to stay at home. It doesn’t just kill old people. This poor boy had only 40 years old. It can kill anybody, so just stay home and think of other people. Try to save other people’s lives. Just because you are not affected directly doesn’t mean that people are not suffering from this.”
Score nightclub, a popular gay club in Miami, wrote on Instagram: “It is always sad when we lose someone but it is even more damaging to the heart when that person was part of the community and made us smile, laugh and dance on a regular basis. “Our condolences to everyone who is feeling this loss today.”
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